A storm and heavy rain overnight from 07 to 08 March caused flooding and power cuts across Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand on 08 March 2017.
Golden Valley in Coromandel recorded over 250 mm of rain in 24 hours. The Wairoa River near Clevedon rose by around 5 metres in just a few hours.
Several roads were closed due to flooding, slips and fallen trees, specifically in the Kawakawa Bay and Clevedon areas and also Waiheke Island.
Auckland Civil Defence and Emergency Management issued a warning to drivers:
“If you’re commuting from south east Auckland today please consider delaying trip or drive with extreme care. Never drive through flood waters.”
Near Auckland a police car washed swept off the road into a swollen creek, stranding an officer on top of the vehicle.
Campers Evacuated
Due to the flooding, five Auckland regional parks have been closed and park campers have been relocated to higher ground. A total of around 400 people have been evacuated from camp sites in the Hunua Ranges and Tapapakanga Regional Park.
Rainfall
New Zealand Metservice said that rainfall rates of 60 mm per hour were recorded in some areas.
The severe thunderstorm watch has since been lifted. However, Metservice is expecting further bursts of heavy rain from Friday 10 March through to Sunday 12 March 2017. Auckland council say that this may lead to additional localised flooding, slips and debris on roads.
Social Media
Last time #Clevedon had a decent flood was 2011 only 6 years ago. More on flooding in Franklin, #Auckland here: https://t.co/3dfwohBFmu pic.twitter.com/zuednSsj98
— Richard Woods (@RichardWoodsNZ) March 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/RichardWoodsNZ/status/839321062588346368
Clevedon-Kawakawa Rd & Kawakawa-Orere Rd are now open to one lane, traffic management is in place. See single lane marked in orange on map: pic.twitter.com/EVwWuWSeL1
— Auckland CDEM (@AucklandCDEM) March 8, 2017
Well @PhilipDuncan reports in Clevedon of 160ml plus pic.twitter.com/H09CUEVa4V
— Dave Poole (@PoolieMoaBeer) March 7, 2017
Thunderstorms over west of Northland have now died down. Here is the image of the 3 hour radar rainfall accumulations up to 5pm. ^SWF pic.twitter.com/nRrC8r944Z
— MetService (@MetService) March 8, 2017
Severe thundestorm (TS) warning for areas near Rawene has now lifted. Rainfall rates of 60mm/hr were recorded within the TS cell. ^AC pic.twitter.com/Kb8qU2WvyJ
— MetService (@MetService) March 8, 2017
Flood Summary
Locations
B - Waiheke Island
C - Tapapakanga
D - Clevedon
E - Whangamata
F - Kaiaua
Magnitude
Golden Valley, Coromandel - March 7 to March 8, 2017
Whangaparaoa - March 7 to March 8, 2017
Whitianga - March 7 to March 8, 2017
Tauranga - March 7 to March 8, 2017
Wairoa River near Clevedon - March 8 to March 8, 2017
Auckland - March 10 to March 11, 2017
Coromandel - March 10 to March 11, 2017
Rotorua - March 10 to March 11, 2017
Damages
Hunua Ranges - March 8 to March 8, 2017
Evacuations were from camp sites in the Hunua Ranges not homes.
Whangamata - March 8 to March 8, 2017
Kaiaua - March 8 to March 8, 2017
Auckland - March 11 to March 12, 2017
Local media report around 12 families evacuated in New Lynn area of Auckland.
